Current and former American officials said President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, discussed sanctions against Russia with that country's ambassador to the United States before the president took office, according to reports.

Counter to statements from Trump administration officials, the claims say Flynn's discussion with Sergey Kislak also delved into potential cooperation between the countries, a conversation the U.S. officials said was inappropriate and potentially illegal, The Washington Post reports. The sanctions were imposed by the Obama administration, still in the White House at the time of the purported discussion, after alleged Russian interference in the presidential election.

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Flynn has denied he discussed the sanctions with the ambassador, though on Thursday a spokesman said Flynn "indicated that while he had no recollection of discussing sanctions, he couldn't be certain that the topic never came up."

Though Trump officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, have said the call was an informal discussion, discussing sanctions and policy would violate a law against private citizens engaging in diplomacy.

“It’s largely shunned, period. But one cannot rule it out with an ally like the U.K.,” said Derek Chollet, who was part of the Obama transition in 2008 and then served in senior roles at the State Department, White House and Pentagon told the New York Times.

“But it’s way out of bounds when the said country is an adversary, and one that has been judged to have meddled in the election. It’s just hard to imagine anyone having a substantive discussion with an adversary, particularly if it’s about trying to be reassuring.”